An artificial neural network (ANN) based modeling has been proposed for the estimating the static response of concrete beams retrofitted with hybrid FRP sheets using artificial neural network technique. Ten beams were cast in two series and tested under four-point bending. Two beams were left unstrengthened to serve as control specimens and eight beams were strengthened with hybrid FRP sheets with different thicknesses. The percentage of steel reinforcement, spacing of stirrups and mechanical properties of FRP sheets were considered as input parameters. The study parameters such as strength, deformation, ductility and crack pattern were considered as target parameters. The results predicted through ANN modeling exhibited better correlation with experimental results.

Team is a basic unit and group of people who interact, cooperate and coordinate to accomplish a shared goal. This study investigated to compare and narrate the difference in the role of team building, through self-assessed inventory by VC (executive leader), observation sheet filled by co-workers as well as the narrated vision of four executive leaders of newly established university of the region. Mixed research method was selected in which Concurrent triangulation design was followed. Population of the study included all Vice Chancellors of Public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Concurrent Mixed Method sampling technique was used. Four Vice Chancellors of newly established Universities and five observers among their co-workers of each VC were taken as participants of the study. A part of Global Executive Leadership Inventory developed by Dr. Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries (2005) was used to collect self-assessed and views of the colleagues regarding respective executive leaders. The difference among the self-assessed view of the executive leaders was calculated by Friedman test. Self-assessed and observed views were compared paired sampled t-test as well as the narrative views of four executives were also compared by matrices and topology. Narrative part was interviewed in the form of structured questions, transcript and interpreted. For trustworthiness of study, prolonged engagement and persistent observation, triangulation of data (from inventory, observation sheet and interview) and member checking was the part of study. There was significant difference among the self-assessed views of VCs regarding team building at newly established universities, self-assessed view and views of their co-workers and narrative views of executive leaders. For team leadership, egalitarian style, knowledge of emotional intelligence and target-oriented communication to be a guide and facilitator is important.

This study focuses on the similarities and differences in Global Consumer theory, National Identity Theory and Categorization theory in a developing market. From the field of sociology; National Identity Theory literature has been linked with marketing field by using concepts of country branding and country of origin (COO). ‘Categorization Theory’ that has a significance relevance in this study has been tested that consumers apply categorization to specific “country’s product category (e.g Japanese product), a geographic or regional category (e.g Asian product) or may be two distinguish categories of “domestic” and “foreign” products. \nFor this purpose a sample of 616 respondents was selected. By the results of structural equal modeling, it revealed that there was positive association of categorization theory is found in this region. Pakistani consumers were more concerned about displaying their image and status by using foreign products in their relevant social groups. Similarly Value consciousness consumers had positive association with the home product country image and negative association with the foreign product country image. \n Global consumer culture had a positive influence on Cosmopolitan consumers. They were found to show preference for both foreign product and domestic products. Whereas National Identity theory had no influence on Pakistani consumers because they felt that they were quite patriotic but still hold a positive perception about foreign country’s products; and their ethnocentrism did not pose a hurdle in their decisions to buy foreign products.

To experimentally investigate the change in air distribution in cold storage because of induce draught, a reduced scaled experimental setup is developed. Air velocity is measured by using hot wire anemometer. Air distribution is most important criteria for design and operation of cold storage chamber. Quality and life of food stuff in cold storage highly dependent on air distribution as temperature filed are likely varies as per flow of air. In this paper customization of air flow using induced duct is discussed. It has been observed that in a cold chamber air flow is heterogeneous it cause number of temperature zones in chamber, high respiration rate and various relative humidity zone, all these leads to loss of stored items through perish. An experimental setup of geometrically similar reduce scale model of cold storage (6m (l) x 4m (w) x 4m (h)) is developed by taking ratio one fourth of actual dimensions. Outcome of this work proposed that use of reverse duct to produce induce draught for enhance the air flow in farthest part of cold room, which will leads to improve the temperature distribution in chamber. Uniform air flow distribution help to reduce the loss of perishable agricultural product and increased their safe storage period

Millet blast disease caused by Magaporthe grisea causes crop damage up to 60% every year. Recent reports stated that this pathogen is capable of producing mycotoxins which may enter in to our food chain. Silver ionic or nanoparticle forms has a high antimicrobial activity and is therefore widely used for various sterilization purposes including materials of medical devices and water sanitization. There have been relatively few studies on the applicability of silver to control plant diseases. Various forms of silver ions and nanoparticles were tested in the current study to examine the antifungal activity on two plant-pathogenic fungi of Magnaporthe grisea. In vitro petri dish assays indicated that silver ions and nanoparticles had a significant effect on the colony formation of these two pathogens. Effective concentrations of the silver compounds inhibiting colony formation by 50% (EC50) were higher than for M. grisea. The inhibitory effect on colony formation significantly diminished after silver cations were neutralized with chloride ions. The present scenario on these pathogen control strategy mainly focus on using silver nano particle to control these disease. Our findings on nano particle synthesis using silver nitrate gained particle of size of silver. FTIR and UV analysis confirmed the presence silver particle. Dual plate assay showed inhibition of 3cm in petri dish. Nanotechnology will also protect the environment indirectly through the use of alternative (renewable) energy supplies and filters or catalysts to reduce pollution and clean-up existing pollutants.

Abstract. This study examined the diversity of ant assemblages in two different agroecosystems (organic and intensive farming) with maize as main crops on the northern slope of Mount Slamet, Indonesia from April to August 2015. The response of ant diversity to the different farming systems was evaluated. In total, 359 ants from 17 species in five subfamilies were collected: 13 species from the organic farm and 10 species from the conventional farm. Seven (41%) species were found only on the organic farm, four (23%) species were found only on the conventional farm, and six (35%) species were found on both. The Morisita–Horn similarity index (33%) showed that the similarity of the species composition in the two habitats was low. More individual ants were found on the organic farm than the intensive farm [287 (79.94%) vs. 72 (20.05%) individuals]. The diversity of the ants was affected by the density of weeds with organic farming. Hypoponera sp. had the highest Indicator Value (50.7), followed by Aphaenogaster sp. (28.9), Diacamma sp. (28.2), and Odontoponera sp. (27.6), however only Odontoponera sp can be used as bioindicator. Although the ant diversity was higher with organic farming than with intensive farming, there was no correlation with soil conditions. As a bioindicator, the Indicator Value reflects agroecosystem health better than does ant diversity